The invention relates to a jet manifold on a device for generating extremely fine fluid jets used in the hydrodynamic jet impingement of fibers of a web moving along the manifold, such as a fiber web, tissue, etc., or a woven or knit, which manifold is composed of an upper section extending over the working length of the web, and of a lower section, wherein
a. a pressure chamber of round cross-section is located along the length of the upper section, the fluid being supplied under pressure, for example, to the front side of the chamber;
b. a pressure distribution chamber is provided in the lower section in parallel to the above;
c. the pressure distribution chamber discharges into a narrow fluid outlet slit opposite the cross-section of the pressure distribution chamber;
d. a jet strip is mounted in a fluid-tight fashion within the jet manifold above the fluid outlet slit; and
e. this jet strip may be replaced through a closable opening on the front side of the jet manifold.
A device of this type is disclosed in German Patent 195 01 738, the content plus drawings of which are referenced here as prior art. Within the pressure chamber, water pressures of up to 1,000 bar are generated which, of course, act on the end walls of the jet manifold. In order to produce the orifices in the manifold, the one front side must initially be open, then closed by covers. Special covers are provided for the pressure chamber as well as the pressure distribution chamber, the covers being attached by screws to the jet manifold wall. A special cover is also provided to close the jet strip replacement opening, this cover also being attached to the jet manifold wall by screws. O-rings recessed in the sealing walls serve to provide a fluid-tight seal.
When replacement of the jet strip is required, the two screws located in it which attach the cover to the manifold are loosened with a screwdriverxe2x80x94after having shut off the water supplyxe2x80x94and the cover and screws set aside for reuse. Although only two screws need to be loosened, a screwdriver is still required for this operation, a procedure which may be viewed as disadvantageous.
The goal of the invention is to find a solution for a jet manifold of the type referred to at the outset which allows for the rapid replacement of the jet strip without equipment disassembly and without a screwdriver.
The goal is achieved by
f) providing a closing unit on the closable opening which
g) is provided at the level of the jet strip mounting position with an insertion slot for the jet strip, which slot
h) is closable by an insertion mandrel.
The insertion mandrel may be retained by a bolt secured within the closing unit, which bolt may be easily removed from a hole retaining the insertion mandrel in the jet manifold after shutting off the water supply and thus the water pressure. Loss of the bolt may be prevented by securing it to the jet manifold using, for example, a thread-like link; the insertion mandrel may be removed by hand from the closing unit, preferably along with the jet strip, and the same items may then be inserted along with the insertion mandrel after replacement with a new strip.